follicles live skin head

Physical characteristics: This microscopic, wormlike, almost transparent, or see-through, parasitic mite is 0.00394 to 0.0178 inches (0.1 to 0.45 millimeters) in length. The head is distinctly separated from the body. The abdomen is finely wrinkled and tapered. Adults have eight stumplike legs, each with claws. The needlelike mouthparts are used for eating skin cells.

Geographic range: These mites live worldwide, wherever people live.

Habitat: This mite lives in human hair follicles, the small sacs that surround the root of each hair. The mite might be found anywhere on the body but prefers the follicles of the face, the roots of eyelashes, and the oil glands of the forehead, nose, and chin.

Diet: The hair follicle mite eats human skin cells.

Behavior and reproduction: Follicle mites are common parasites and spend their entire lives on their human hosts. They live in hair follicles and eyelashes, burrowing head first into the root. They move onto the skin at night at rate of 0.4 inches (1 centimeter) per hour.

Females may lay up to twenty-five oval eggs on one hair follicle. Young mites resemble adults. First-stage larvae (LAR-vee), or young mites, are legless, but later stages, before the mite becomes an adult, have six legs. Follicles may become tightly packed as the mite larvae grow. Adult mites leave follicles to mate and then find new follicles in which to lay eggs. The entire life cycle of the mite, from egg to adult, takes about fourteen to eighteen days.

Hair follicle mites and people: Mites are basically harmless, and humans who harbor them often show no signs of infestation. Follicle mites are not known to transmit diseases, but large numbers in a single follicle may cause itching and other skin disorders, especially in the elderly.

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User Comments

iam 46 yr old female and have been suffering with the symptoms mentioned for almost two years. the dermatolagists are useless. i have tried everything and i am going mad...someone please help

almost 9 years ago

I might have hair follicle mites. I am 74 years old with an itchy scalp, hair thinning and by now a sore scalp. Dermetologist sees no irritation or disease of the scalp. Recomended a prescribed lotion and non itchy pill. This is not getting rid of my itchy scalp. I've tried tree hill oily ointment and it is not working. What treatment is used to get rid of itchy scalp or hair follicle mites and how do I diagnose hair follicle mites?

over 9 years ago

I enjoyed your information about democodisis...I sincerely wish that doctors here in the states would recognize and admit the truth regarding the hair mite. One must treat the infestation swiftly, aggressively and with dilligence...it takes about three months to eradicate these mites entirely...if even then!!

almost 6 years ago

I used the safest remedy, 2% sulfer ointment applied each night for four to six months (sulfer is not harmful at all). you can even buy your own sulfer(find out what the right kind is) and make your own ointment. Take an anti itch pill or you will become exhausted for three months as I did. Then once they all start to come out of their hives... you get sulfacet-r antibiotic ointment and put a very thin layer over the lesion/s. You have to be careful to do this dilligently every night and shower or bath in epsom salts two to three times a week to get rid of the top layers of skin thru exfoliating. And you have to be very careful as to not become reinfected during this time. It takes around three months to erradicate the eggs of the small brevis and four months aprox, for the bigger ones, folliculorem. I feel so much better but did stop my medication for two weeks due to not being able to afford it and I was reinfected so I used a cheaper alternative to create a barrier. Vaseline and Zinc oxide (baby diaper rash ointment). I also started using virgin coconut oil in my cooking and coffee every day. I even give it to my dog and her coat is so white and clean, its amazing, my nails have begun to grow and the tips are really white and healthy. It has to be "organic Virgin" that has so many health benefits, the regular coconut oil otherwise it is unhealthy. good luck.

almost 7 years ago

linda

i've had this for 5 years and it drives me crazy i have a infestation on my body and in my house, how can i get rid natuarally